June 05, 2024, was celebrated as World Environment Day under the theme Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience. The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) which prides itself on being a member of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative rang the bell to celebrate this very important event with the rest of the world to shine the spotlight on the importance of the environment and to raise awareness about the serious issues facing our very survival. The JSE stands committed to encouraging global action to protect the environment.
In her opening remarks Managing Director of the JSE Group Dr. Marlene Street Forrest stated that “We know that Stock Exchanges globally must play and are playing a crucial role in promoting sustainability, and the Jamaica Stock Exchange as a member of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative is working towards implementing measures that will assist with environmental consciousness, raising funding focused on these activities and putting the framework in place to ensure access and sustainability of projects and programmes aimed to arrest and reshape environmental preservation and growth”.
She further stated that “We have spoken on several platforms about the launch of a Green Bond Market, and we have made considerable progress along the path. Through partnerships, we have just completed the Jamaica Green, Social, Sustainability and Sustainability-Linked Bond Guide which we will be launching shortly. This is just one element in the framework for the promotion and access to environmentally sustainable investments”.
Dr. Ruth Potopsingh, Associate Vice-President, Sustainable Energy at the University of Technology delivered greetings on behalf of Environmental Solutions Limited. She spoke on the topic “Protecting the Environment, Protect your Business”. “We are proud to have worked with the JSE, a member of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative in its programme to green its operations, to launch a Green Bond and to join many Securities Regulators around the world who have demonstrated increased commitment to fostering interest in and understanding of the relationship between sustainability issues and long-term investment performance”, she remarked.
The ceremony ended with the ringing of the bell to open the Market for trading and signal the JSE and other stakeholders’ commitment to a sustainable environment.
